Guardian of the Blade
by LyraCat
Summary: Do you want to listen to a story? I promise it's good! It's the story about how I helped a boy who had saved me. I had a big responsibility to make sure he could save the world. Even though he had that duty and I had mine, he still played with me! After listening to the story, maybe you'll want to play with me too! (Skull Kid's PoV, TP-Centric, also touches on MM and a bit AU)


_I waited for him  
And he didn't disappoint  
We're friends after all!_

* * *

Hey! Do you want to play a game? No? Well, that makes me sad… Will you at least listen to a story then? I promise it's fun! It's a good story so I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Maybe then it will make you want to play a game with me!

You'll listen? Really? Thanks! It's a story about friendship... My friendship with a boy who saved me! You know what? You smell a bit like him… but you can't be. Or can you? He left long ago, but one day, many years later after I had been left all alone, I found him again! But he wasn't the same boy. No, he was different. He still knew how to play though, and he had the smell of the forest about him, just as you do… But I'm probably confusing you; so let me start at the beginning. That's where all stories start, isn't it?

I don't remember my origins… I feel like I was a kid long ago; a normal child, but at the same time I just don't know…

No, the very beginning is too early. I don't want to bore you. Here, let me get to the interesting parts!

I was a puppet once. I let my greed take over and became tangled up in my strings, ones of which were tied to something much bigger than myself. But the boy, the one in green that you remind me of, he saved me! He saved everyone! We became great friends, but just like my other friends he had to leave. I wasn't sad though! I was happy. We played fun games and even though he went away, I still had my fairy friends by my side. So after he left I decided I'd do something. Something to make it up to the boy I had put through so much.

I decided to help him.

True, I never saw that same boy again, but I knew he too was tied to something bigger than himself, tangled in the strings anchoring him to his destiny.

I thought I would travel, since that's what he did. When your travel, you meet all sorts of nice people! But some aren't that nice… Like the man I stole a scary mask from. I got what I deserved from being a thief though. The mask made me a puppet, but the boy cut the strings that ensnared me. I learned from that. I'll never make the same mistake again.

Anyway, I traveled. I came across a nice land… It was called Hyrule. I found a great big forest, almost like a maze! I decided I would stay here. It reminded me of the forest in my old home; a land called Termina. That's the place where I first met the boy and the man with the mask. I also had four giant friends when I lived there, but that's another story from even longer ago.

So I came across this big forest maze with my two fairy friends, Tael and Tatl. They were siblings! I never had a sibling, at least I don't remember if I did, so I didn't understand why they would fight sometimes. We explored the forest for a few days, getting familiar with all the pathways and where they led. I was having so much fun that I almost forgot I wanted to help the boy! How could I do that? I was his friend! Even though I didn't ever have the chance to tell him, I told myself that I'd make sure to make it up to him, but I just didn't yet know how.

That's when we came across a temple deep within the forest. It looked like it had been abandoned for quite a while. The stone was worn down and many of the windows were cracked or broken, but it was still a pretty place. The three of us went inside and saw two statues standing guard in front of a sealed door. They looked a bit weird to me, but Tatl and Tael felt as if they were drawn to them. While I was admiring the pretty triangle symbol inlaid in the stone floor, they each went to look at a statue. After a moment a blue light caught my eye and I looked up to see them landing on top of the statues as they glowed. It startled me, but the weirdest part was Tatl and Tael didn't just land on the statues, they went _inside_ them.

I immediately ran up to the statue Tael went into. I barely came halfway up to its knee, but I banged on the stone, calling for him. I ran over to the one Tatl had touched and called for her as well. Neither of them responded. I took a few steps back, looking at the statues towering over me. What had they done to my friends? I started to cry, and that's when they told me.

Both statues spoke at the same time, but it sounded like not one or two voices and instead many. They said that the fairies I had known as Tatl and Tael had fulfilled their duty, bringing me to this place where I would spend my days protecting the sacred sword sealed behind the door they guarded. The blade was housed deep within the temple and they must wait for him to arrive, telling me they couldn't leave where they stood until he came.

I was confused. Very confused. Why did they betray me? Was I just a puppet again? Were they using me? It wasn't fair! My confusion turned to anger. I looked back and forth between the two statues. I wanted to kick and scream at them, calling for my friends to come out of hiding, but I couldn't see the glowing light of their little fairy bodies anywhere. They were _in_ the statues now. No, they _were_ the statues now. They left me, but they told me they would always be here, guarding the sword and waiting, just as I would. I asked why, and they responded simply:

"You want to help your friend, don't you?"

I thought on it. Yes, of course I wanted to help him. I felt terrible for putting him through so much and had to make it up somehow. Then they told me that everything would be okay and I would one day lead him here. They still wanted to be my friends, and were. Every day I would visit them, bringing flowers or other things I'd found in the forest.

But they never again said a word to me.

Over the years the temple decayed; the roof caved in, trees sprouted up here and there, and the staircase crumbled. The only thing that remained in perfect condition was the sword that stood in the large central room, which by now had no more roof; barely walls even. It was getting to the point where you could hardly tell it was the foundations of a building. The door that separated the circular room with the sword from the one in which the statues stood was still intact. If I ever wanted to get a glimpse at the blade I would climb around through the trees and peek down from above. I never went close to the sword though. I knew it wasn't for me to touch.

I was sad to see the temple crumble around me, but knew I had to do my part to make sure it was ready once he came. Tatl and Tael were ready. Apparently it was their destiny to make sure he was worthy of the title of the Hero, and mine to lead him here.

I knew he would be worthy of being called a Hero! After all, he had saved me all those years ago, but as each day passed, I got worried. I was worried he wouldn't come. The once beautiful temple was now merely a memory. Speaking of memories, remember when I mentioned I was a puppet? It gave me an idea. Now that Tatl and Tael were statues and couldn't move, I needed some friends, so I made a little horn from reeds I'd found along the water's edge deep within the maze. It made a nice sound! With it I used just a teeny bit of magic to bring to life some sticks and stones. I made puppets! I didn't realize how lonely I was before I had created them. They did almost everything I said, but not all puppets cooperate… Yet without them, I may never have met him.

Anyway, I found him completely by accident. My puppet friends were out and about playing on their own. I let them do that sometimes. I need some time to myself every now and then. That's when they came across a monkey girl, but she was afraid of them! I do suppose they are a bit scary though. I wish I could have been there. Maybe she wouldn't have been frightened if I had played some music for her. We probably would have become great friends! But she ran away and my puppets weren't too happy about that. They followed, and even left the forest maze! I told them to never do that because it's dangerous out there, but they didn't listen. Maybe it's good though. If they hadn't left I never would have met him.

The poor monkey girl was definitely afraid, but a wolf scared off my puppets. At first I was mad, but then the monkey became happy again. Even though I never got to meet her myself, I was still glad to see she didn't stay upset at my puppet friends! I watched from a distance as she thanked the wolf, telling him about the forest maze. She herself never explored the forest maze again, but I'm still glad she came that one time. It's thanks to her I met the wolf! He smelled of the trees, and like the people that lived in the nearby village, as well as something… familiar.

A girl with a funny stone mask sat atop the wolf's back. I wasn't too interested in her though. I like animals more than girls. I decided I would play a game with him! We would play hide-and-seek. It was my favorite. He seemed to have fun with my puppets, so I figured he might want to play with me too.

Who knows? Maybe he would know how to help Tatl and Tael come out of hiding in the statues.

I told my puppets to lead him into the woods, and they did. I used my horn and the light of a lantern I had come across long ago to guide him. He found me on a few occasions, and each time I would hide again. After a while we started to get close to where my friends stood waiting, and I was a little tired. While we were playing I felt something within me and decided to wrap up our little game. I led the wolf to a clearing, summoning my puppet friends. Once he had tagged all of them, he came for me! I let him catch me a few times then simply said a few words:

"Hee hee hee! …'Bye!" I laughed as I disappeared from his sight, opening the way. Secretly I was watching from a tree. It felt right to lead him here, and I was glad I did. He entered the area in which my friends waited. The wolf howled a song while standing on the beautifully inlaid stone floor, now covered with moss from age. Suddenly, the ground disappeared! That's when tile like platforms appeared, and finally after many years, my friends spoke and moved. The statues that were Tael and Tatl finally fulfilled their promise. That's when I knew for sure: this visitor is the one they had been waiting for.

…But why a wolf?

Anyway, he passed their trials and they opened the sealed door for him to enter. At first I was disappointed. A _wolf?_ I was waiting for my friend and instead a wolf came.

But… He did smell like the boy in green from so long ago.

I watched as the beast approached the blade. Then a mysterious thing happened. Light shone from the sword, pushing against the wolf as he opened his maw and growled at the weapon. Then… Then he turned into a man! And not just any man, one that wore the clothes of my friend from all those years ago!

It was true! He really came, he returned and I had helped him! He looked different, but I had changed as well. I'd waited years to see him again, and now I had. More than anything I wanted to play with him. Catch up and tell stories, but something deep within me said that it wasn't the time. I knew I would have the chance one day though.

So I waited patiently for his return.

He didn't disappoint. He came back, vanquishing any monsters in his path with the blade that Tatl, Tael, and I had guarded. I played another game of hide-and-seek with him, leading him through the woods once more. He had become really good! I got a bit frustrated. He was almost _too_ good. This time I stayed up high so he couldn't tag me, but he used his bow. It seemed like cheating, but I didn't say anything. At least he was playing with me and I couldn't ask for more than that, he being too busy with other responsibilities. After a while I could tell he was getting tired, and I knew he needed a lot of energy for what he had ahead of him. He must save the world after all! I had so much fun I decided something.

"Hee hee hee… That was fun! I'll tell you what: I'll let you into a secret place!" I called as I disappeared. I still watched him from a distance, but he couldn't tell I was there. The one that wore the clothes of my old friend went to where the sword once stood, striking it into the pedestal. The way to a secret door, the door to the temple from long ago, was unsealed.

He approached it, and I glimpsed through the entrance as it slowly opened. Through it I saw the past; the temple I remembered when I had first arrived, yet in better condition than even I had originally seen it.

The doors closed behind him and I waited. I can't remember how long he was in there. It seemed like an eternity, but at the same time only a moment. I had lost track of time long ago though, so it didn't matter to me. When he walked out the door a small funny bird creature with was with him. She spoke rapidly. Something about a rod, but I didn't really pay attention. I only wanted to talk to him, but I didn't know where to start! Before I had a chance to say anything, he left. I was sad, but I knew I would see him again, so I waited.

And he came.

He returned the sword, striking it into the pedestal and sadly walking away from the blade with a sorrowful smile, face full of emotions from the burden destiny had placed upon him.

This was my chance. I could finally talk to him once more. Even though I had plenty of time to think over what I wanted to tell him, I couldn't seem to come up with the courage needed. Instead I watched as he left. I spoke two simple words from where I sat hiding in a tree. Words I wished I had said all those many years past.

"Thank you."

He turned as he was leaving. Probably trying to find me after hearing my voice, but I wasn't visible from the ground. I watched as he left. But it was okay. I stayed, guarding this place and the sacred blade with Tatl and Tael who were still in the statues. I knew he would come again, just as he always does, and he has… After talking to you, I realized something. I know who you are now. You probably don't remember me though, but…

Will you still play with me, Link?

* * *

 **A/N: I started this story out with a haiku! I haven't done that in what seems like forever…  
It was a bit hard to write Skull Kid's playful and excited manner in a way that was a tad sporadic and showed his childish excitement without causing too much confusion. I'm not sure how well I pulled it off, but I did have a lot of fun with it! I love his personality and there aren't really that many fics about Skull Kid that don't focus on his role in Majora's Mask. I wanted to bring up Navi, but didn't know how. She was going to be the statue that guarded the door into the Temple of Time from the past, but since Skull Kid never knew her, I had no idea how to work that into the story. :/  
Anyway, I hoped you enjoyed this! Will you play with Skull Kid now? He's thankful you listened but now he wants to know if you liked his tale, so please tell him!**


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